Anthurium plant named ‘Venus’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named ‘Venus’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; durable and large dark green leaves that are broadly ovate in shape; numerous spathes that are positioned upright and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes; large, durable, glossy dark pink spathes; year-round continuous flowering; good flowering performance under low light conditions; and good post-production longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Venus’.

The new Anthurium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new Anthurium cultivars that have a freely clumping growth habit, strong and vigourous plant growth, attractive spathe color, numerous inflorescences and leaves, and good post-production longevity.

The new Anthurium originated from a cross by the Inventor in August, 1994 of the Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 00-23 as the female, or seed, parent with the Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 94-4 as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar ‘Venus’ was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Schipluiden, The Netherlands in September, 1996.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tissue culture in a laboratory in Belgium has shown that the unique features of this new Anthurium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Anthurium has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the cultivar ‘Venus’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Venus’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely clumping growth habit.

3. Durable and large dark green leaves that are broadly ovate in shape.

4. Numerous spathes that are positioned upright and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes.

5. Large, durable, glossy dark pink spathes.

6. Year-round continuous flowering.

7. Good flowering performance under low light conditions.

8. Good post-production longevity.

The new Anthurium can be compared to the female parent, the Inventor's proprietary selection code number 00-23. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differ from plants of selection code number 00-23 in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium are less compact than plants of the selection code number 00-23.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium grow faster than plants of the selection code number 00-23.

3. Plants of the new Anthurium have larger leaves than plants of the selection code number 00-23.

4. Plants of the new Anthurium have larger spathes than plants of the selection code number 00-23.

5. Plants of the new Anthurium have dark pink-colored spathes whereas plants of the selection code number 00-23 have white-colored spathes.

The new Anthurium can be compared to the male parent, the Inventor's proprietary selection code number 94-4. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differ from plants of selection code number 94-4 in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium have more durable leaves as plants of the selection code number 94-4.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium have more durable and larger spathes than plants of the selection code number 94-4.

The new Anthurium can be compared to the Anthurium cultivar ‘Leny’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,272. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differ from plants of the cultivar ‘Leny’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Anthurium have more durable and finer leaves than plants of the cultivar ‘Leny’.

2. Plants of the new Anthurium and of the cultivar ‘Leny’ differ in spathe coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Anthurium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical potted plant of the cultivar ‘Venus’. Leaf, spathe and spadix colors in the photograph may appear different from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe three-years old plants grown in 30-cm containers in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, in a glass greenhouse with an average day temperature of 25° C. and an average night temperature of 19°C.

Botanical classification: Anthurium andreanum cultivar ‘Venus’.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 00-23.

Male parent.—Inventor's proprietary Anthurium andreanum selection code number 94-4.

Propagation:

Method.—By tissue culture.

Time to develop roots.—About 70 to 84 days at 24° C. or 21° C., respectively are required to root a tissue-cultured plantlet.

Rooting habit.—Numerous and very strong fleshy roots.

Plant description:

Plant shape.—Upright and outwardly spreading, inverted triangle, symmetrical.

Growth habit.—Freely clumping, bushy and dense. Appropriate for 17 to 40-cm containers.

Plant height.—About 55 to 60 cm from soil level to top of leaves and about 60 to 70 cm from soil level to apex of spathes.

Plant width.—About 90 to 110 cm.

Plant vigor.—High.

Growth rate.—Rapid.

Crop time.—About 8 to 16 months are usually required from planting of young plants to finished plants in 17 and 40-cm containers, respectively.

Foliage description.—Quantity: Usually about two to four per shoot. Length: About 21 to 28 cm. Width: About 14 to 24 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Apiculate to cuspidate. Base: Auriculate; lobes not overlapping. Margin: Entire; moderate undulation. Texture: Smooth, glabrous, leathery. Color: Young leaves, upper surface: Darker than 137A; glossy. Young leaves, lower surface: Darker than 137A; less glossy than upper surface of young leaves. Mature leaves, upper surface: Darker than 137A. Mature leaves, lower surface: Darker than 147B to 147C with gray and reddish flush. Petiole: Length: About 30 to 35 cm. Color: Closed to 146B, slight purple anthocyanin. Geniculum length: About 2 to 4 cm. Geniculum diameter: About 5 to 7 mm. Geniculum color: 146A to 144A; older leaves, moderate anthocyanin purplish.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence arrangement.—Spathes with spadices held beyond the foliage. Flowering structures arise from leaf axils. Freely flowering; continuous flowering year-round; numerous spathes/spadices per plant.

Inflorescence longevity.—Spathes/spadices last about six weeks under winter conditions and about three months under summer conditions; persistent.

Flowers.—Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 150 to 200. Shape: Rounded. Diameter: About 1 mm, maximum.

Spathe.—Length: About 12 to 15 cm. Width: About 11 to 13 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Apiculate to cuspidate. Base: Auriculate, lobes not overlapping. Margin: Entire. Texture: Leathery, glabrous, slight blistering, glossy. Color: When opening: 50A. Front surface: 50A to 50B. Back surface: 48B to 48C. After senescence: 48C to 48D; lobes, green, close to 144A.

Spadix.—Length: About 8 to 11 cm. Diameter: Midsection, about 10 to 11 mm; apex, about 8 mm. Shape: Columnar. Cross section: Rounded. Longitudinal axis: Very weakly recurved. Color: Mature: Close to 186A. After senescence: With subsequent development, 170D to 160A.

Scape.—Length: About 40 to 50 cm. Aspect: Strong and erect. Color: 144A; anthocyanin towards apex, purplish.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Pollen color: Creamy white, 158D. Gynoecium: Stigma shape: Ovoid. Ovary: Protogyneous.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Anthurium have exhibited good resistance to root diseases common to Anthurium.

Seed development: Seed development on plants of the new Anthurium has not been observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant named ‘Venus’, as illustrated and described. 